Christians duty in faith and holinesse This Chapter a little book of Martyrsâ— containes the encomium of faith commended by its heroicall acts and marvellous effects by noâ— the worlds but the Lords Worthies in every age of the Ancient Church whose neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury whereon there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Can. 4.4 These mighty men of God are renowned and recorded powerfully to perswade men with courage and comfort to continue in the faith sustained with the precious promises of the blessed God The words read rehearse the famous fact of Israels faith under the prosperous conduct of Ioshua the Hebrews Generall the conquerour of Canaan 1. The interpretation By faith By faith both in Ioshua and Israel his and their faith not by armes and engines not by common sense nor caâ—nall reason not by faith historicallâ— yet they knew the word not by faith miraculous albeit this oracle tels us of a miracle but by faith called by Divines justifying and saving principally not only as it justifieth but as it looketh towards God and apprehends any promises works and benefits of God past present or future revealed in his word Faiths prop was 1. A word of precept to compasse the city yee shall goe round about the city Iosh. 6. 1. 2. A word of promise annexed the walls should fall the wall of the city shall fall downe flâ—t vers. 5. Iericho It was a strong walled tower in their way and first entrance into Canaan after they had so safely passed over Iâ—rdan The walls of it fell downe The great walls this townes-mens strength tumbled downe without mans hand warlike engine or violence After they were compassed about They pitched not the â—â—â—ld against it nor did they undermine or scale the walls but goe aboâ—t them A mean to mans reason 1â—Very childish seven Priests sounded seven rammes hornes would not Iericho laugh at it Iosh. 6. 4. 2. Very perilous had there been such Guns as be in these dangerous dayes M. Perk Yet after they had circuited the walls 1. In obedience to Gods command 2. In dependance on Gods promise The walls fell down Obedience to God in the event meets with good first they mind duty after it they find mercy First they goe about Iericho and then they goe into Iericho Seven dayes The walls fell not on any of the six dayes nor untill the seventh time the seventh day Till then the walls never shake and then nothing seen before they fallâ— it was Gods appointed time in which every thing is beautifull one of these dayes was the Sabbath the observation whereof yeelds for mans good to this speciall command of God the great Law-giver 2. The partsâ— Iericho's downfall the wals fell down 1. The meane of it faith in Gods word 2. The mâ—â—â—er of it in compassing it seven dayes 1. The downefall of the walls the strength of this city the hâ—lp whereby it was fortified as invincible falles this wall is cast downe and demolished the city is taken and a straight way opened to the Israel of God Ioshua 6. 20. The greatest helps of Church-enemies will faile them their walls which hinder Gods Church in the way to happinesse will fall down and their defence departs from them Numb. 14. 9. As it is with this cursed city Iericho So with old Babylon the wall of Babylon shall fall Ier. 51.44 The broad walls fifty cubits thick and two hundred cubits high say Historians of Babylon shall be utterly broken â—er 51. 58. Thus with Mystical Babylon it is thrown downe as a great milstone cast into the Sea thus with violence shall that great city Babylon bee throwne down and shall be found no more at all Rev. 18.21 The tenth part of the city the whole Kingdome of Popery Br. fell was diminished by the revolt of the Germans the Earth-quake ordinarily signifying a great change of the estate of matters Rev. 11. 13. * 1. The enemies walls to stop the Churches way which will faile and not be a shadow to them be 1. Principality and imperiall power Princes and their people Emperours and their vassals were a wall to the enemy the ten hornes shall give their power and strength to the beast Revel. 17. 13. CHARLES the Great and K. Pipin arose with stout and fierce contention in the Beasts quarrell advanced and honoured the Popedome These shall make warre with the Lamb vers. 14. in rebellion against Christ yet the Lamb Christ shall overcome them In Gods appointed time the Emperour CHARLES the fift persecuted the Princes of Germany with a lamentable warre because they required a liberty to worship the Lamb but the victorious Lamb the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah got the victory a free confessioÌ„ of truth which the Lamb wrung from the Emperour against his will And this by Christian souldiers and armies of Protestants Called chosen and faithfull vers. 14. Yet by the good pleasure of God Christian Princes shall rise and make themselves ready against Rome to bring the whore to an horrible destruction contrary to her expectation and their former profession for her 1. These shall hate her curse her which bewitched Kings of the earth 2. Make her desolate they converting to Christ revolting from her and ministring no aide to her 3. Naked by their confessions by their writings which discover her filthinesse and lewdnesse 4. Shall eat her flesh not physically but mystically cutting away her toll-money wealth gotten by her chaffering in their dominions 5. Burne with fire who will not otherwise bee purged she shall be burnt as an whore not washen with nitre Many Princes have failed Popedome Revel. 17. 16. 2. Prelacy purple Prelates and their corrupt Clergy hinder the passage of Gods redeemed ones into Canaan heaven and shall down As the troop of Trent Bishops fortified themselves and made a wall about Popery that erroneous doctrine and corrupt worship might be continued notwithstanding this the man of sin hiâ— jurisdiction and his generation must down and be destroyed that wicked one the Lord shall consume with the spirit of â—is mouth 2. Thes. 2. 8. Prelacy roâ—â— and branch shall be taken awayâ— every plant which God hath not planted shall bee plucked up by the root all false callings false doctrine false worship God threatens Mat. 15. 13. as a tree that cumbers the ground must be cut downe the Church and pure religion cannot thrive by it under it neer it Prelacy is not only not fruitfull but hurtfull and if the vinedresser find no fruit his word is Cut it down Luk. 13. 7. There is no juâ— diviâ—um to plead for it it will come to nought as Gamaliels word was Act. 5. vers. 38. The Prelates were daubing a wall with untempered morter made of Canons oathes Constituâ—ions Superstitions yet all falls that one may say where is the wall and they that daubed it God will effect it that the
in its way for liberty Deut. 25. 17,18 These as Balaam hired to curse the Church of God can pray read a prayer yea preach against the children of God under the notion of heresie hypocrisie schisme rebellion treason Numb. 22. 17. 23. 8. 4. Who be builders of Ierichoes walls as the men who set up superstitions Altars images innovations they be knowne men God if they belong to him grant them repentance lest that curse be clapt upon them Cursed be the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this city Iericho Ioshua 6. 26. Faith in God being so Active for God 2 as men perswaded of this bee active quit your selves like men as did Generall Ioab to his brother Abishai in that fight against Ammon and the Syrians Be of good courage and let us play the men for our people and for the cities of our God and the Lord doe that which seemeth him good 2 Sam. 10 11 12. receive that counsell put your selves in Aray against Babylon round about all ye that bend the bow shoot at her spare no arrowes for she hath sinned against the Lord Ier. 50. 14. 1. Rulers ye Worthies of our Israel called out of Noble families in the severall coasts of the Kingdome as they in Israel out of Ephraim Benjamin Machir Issachar Zebulon and Naphtali beâ— ye of raised and stirring spirits in the work of the Lord Iud. 5. 14 15 18. 1. In the civill State Most sage Senate touch the mountaines of proud incendiaries they will become a plaine before you Zechar. 4. 7. Scatter the everlasting mountaines of firme setled Canaanites make the perpetuall hills bow Hab. 3. 6. Remove the wicked from before they will rush into the presence of the as speciall servants and Chaplaines in Ordinary to the King that his throne may be established in righteousnesse take away the drosse from the silver impious persons be very pernicious to Princes as Darius counsellors Herods flatterers Pharaohs sorcerers Rehobâ—ams young companions with many Hamans to Ahasuâ—â—â—â— Dâ—â—gâ— to Saul who blemish the repuâ—ation of Princes as Shâ—bna did Hezeâ—iahs Prov. 25. 45. Leave no frogs that creep into Kings chambers provoking them by their croaking to make warre they are knowne by the gâ—â—ter whence they come out of the mouth of the Dragon out of the mouth of the beast and the false Prophet they are spirits of devils which goe forth unto the Kings of the earth to gather them to battell Prince against his Principality King against Parliament Kingdome against Kingdome nation against nation England against Scotland by Men like frogs impudent in croaking the frogs head like their caps quadrata ranarum capita frogs are an Egyptian plague Rev. 16. 13,14 Here is work for the power of a Parliament that the King may have no croakers in his Chamber or Court to be offensive to his Royall â—ares â—haâ—â—he Kingdome distracted and bleeding may have justice and peaceâ— this God commanding you so doe according to your wisdome given you of God 1. 〈…〉 binding 〈◊〉 any vanityâ— or burdens which lye heavy on the Church the Kings word was changed Dan. 3. 28. the decree â—ullified verse 10. as did Darius Dan. 6. 26. and Hamanâ— letters of Mart reversed by Ahasâ—â—râ—s to Esther and Mordecai Esther 8. 5. 8. 2 2. Contend with great oneâ— Nobles Judges Justâ—ces that be profanâ— themselves or countenâ—nce â—â—iquity in the Kingdome as did renowned Neâ—emiâ—â— with those men who profaned the Sabbath Nâ—hâ—m 13. 17 18. 3. Destroy the accursed dâ—aw the wheel over the wicked take away the accursed things else God will have a controversy with England and deny us his presence in all our proceedings away with Achans Iosh. 7.11 12. 2. In the Church 1. Cast out blockâ— stumbling blocks as Asa took courage and put awâ—y abominations out of the land 2 Chron. 15. 7 8. and Iehosophat took away the high places groves out of Iudah and did not leave them to please the people 17. 6. Shew you your integrity as that pious Prince 20. 32. let it bee the peoples blemish to affect and keep â—p high places verse 33. Remember the Prelates as that proud Primate Diotrephes with malicious words prating against and casting out good Church-members 3 Ioh. 10. Beare not but be impâ—tient with men who pretend to be Apostolicall and are Apostaticall lyers Rev. 2. 2. Forget not the odious sin of non-reâ—idency idle dumb and scandalous ministers which make the people loath the offerings of the Lord drive them out of Gods house for the wickednesse of their doings Hos. 9. 15. Regard the godly discipline of zealous Iosiah he put down idolatrous Prieâ—â—s 2 Kin. 23. 5. that they should not come up to the Altar of the Lord in Ierusalem verse 9. It is recorded what Nehemiah did in his zeale and reformation he cleansed the Chambers of intruders in the Courts of the house of our God Neheâ— 13. 7 8,9 and chaced away Saâ—ballats sons in law from him veâ— 28. These as the Ierichâ—nâ—iâ—esâ—hut their gates Iosh. 6. 1. hinder the passage of the people of God into the land of Canaan Mat. 23. 13. â—ee â—inder people be too slow but it is laid on the Priests as the impediment yee would not verse 37. It is considerable what was done to the leprous house 1. Take away the stones in which the plague is â— Take other stones and put in the place of them Lev 14. v. 42. If after the house be scraped and plaistered the plague come againe and break out in the house v. 43. then break down the house the stones of it and timber thereof and all the morter of the house it is a fretting leprosie verse 45. A leprosie was discovered in Queen Mary her dayes after that zealous Prince King Edward the sixt but all was new plaistered in the Raigne of that Englands Deborah Queen Elizabeth but the plague is broken out againe wherefore downe must the house leave not one stone upon another unthrowne downe For profanenesse from the Priests is gone out through all the land profanenesse superstitions are spread downe with their walls their builders their repairers their defenders as Ioash judged Iud. 6. 31. 2. Erect â— wall about the Church in building it up as Exod. 15. 2. prepare God an habitation with a stirring spirit doe the Lords work Hag. 1. 14. and then prosper in your work From this day will I blesse you consider what successe hath followed since the voting downe the Prelacy what blessing God gives you Hag. 2. 18 19. 2. Preachers be active to cast down Antichrist Popery in doctrine and worâ—hip the Churches be called Reformed not onely in doctrine true but in discipline pure 1. In preaching the word of truth Preachers must doe their work as well as Princes to cast down the man of sinne God casts him down with the spirit of his mouth 2 Thâ—s. 2. 8. preach the Gospell Christ conquers by it riding on the white horse